PRINTER'S NO.  445

  

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

  

SENATE RESOLUTION

 

No.

28

Session of

2011

  

  

INTRODUCED BY COSTA, SCARNATI, PILEGGI, ALLOWAY, ARGALL, BAKER, BLAKE, BOSCOLA, BREWSTER, BROWNE, BRUBAKER, CORMAN, DINNIMAN, EARLL, EICHELBERGER, ERICKSON, FARNESE, FERLO, FOLMER, FONTANA, GORDNER, GREENLEAF, HUGHES, KASUNIC, KITCHEN, LEACH, McILHINNEY, MENSCH, ORIE, PICCOLA, PIPPY, RAFFERTY, ROBBINS, SMUCKER, SOLOBAY, STACK, TARTAGLIONE, TOMLINSON, VANCE, VOGEL, WARD, WASHINGTON, WAUGH, D. WHITE, M. WHITE, WILLIAMS, WOZNIAK, YAW AND YUDICHAK, FEBRUARY 8, 2011

  

  

INTRODUCED AND ADOPTED, FEBRUARY 8, 2011  

  

  

  

A RESOLUTION

  

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Honoring the life of Senator Michael A. O'Pake and extending

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condolences to his family, staff, constituents and many

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friends.

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WHEREAS, Senator Michael A. O'Pake dedicated his life to

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public service and helping others and, at the time of his

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passing on December 27, 2010, was the longest-serving member of

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the Pennsylvania General Assembly and is fondly remembered by

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his constituents in the 11th Senatorial District as "the

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People's Senator"; and

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WHEREAS, Senator O'Pake, who grew up in poverty in the

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Glenside housing project in Reading, Berks County, gave voice to

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ordinary, hard-working citizens struggling to build a better

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tomorrow for their families and was always a champion for

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children, seniors, the disabled and all of society's vulnerable

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and less fortunate throughout his 42 years of distinguished

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service in the Senate and House of Representatives; and

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WHEREAS, Senator O'Pake was valedictorian of the class of

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1957 at his beloved Reading Central Catholic High School, where

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he won the national Optimist International Oratory contest,

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worked his way through college and law school with the help of

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academic scholarships, graduated summa cum laude from St.

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Joseph's University in 1961 and earned his Juris Doctorate from

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the University of Pennsylvania School of Law in 1964, where he

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received the Keedy Cup for best appellate advocacy; and

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WHEREAS, Senator O'Pake, while a member of the House of

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Representatives, took up the fight to help seniors with the 1971

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passage of the law that created the Pennsylvania State Lottery,

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after his election to the Senate in 1972, chaired a special

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Senate committee to tackle problems pertaining to Pennsylvania's

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youth and, in 1975, was named the first chairman of the

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Committee on Aging and Youth of the Senate; and

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WHEREAS, To safeguard children from abuse and neglect and to

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assist the elderly, Senator O'Pake wrote Pennsylvania's 1975

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Child Protective Services Law and in 1978, authored the

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legislation creating Pennsylvania's cabinet-level Department of

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Aging and system of county Offices of Aging to serve the

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multiple needs of Pennsylvania's older adult population; and

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WHEREAS, Senator O'Pake successfully fought for property tax

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and rent rebates for seniors, PACE and PACENET prescription

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assistance for the elderly long before the Federal Government

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added a prescription benefit to Medicare and was a leading

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advocate of Pennsylvania's landmark Children's Health Insurance

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Program (CHIP), which became a model for the nation; and

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WHEREAS, Senator O'Pake sponsored or played a critical role

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in the passage of many laws, including establishing the powers

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and duties of an elected Attorney General, the creation of

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programs and funding to ensure a quality education for all

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Pennsylvania students, the enactment of Pennsylvania's no-fault

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divorce law, juvenile justice reform to remove youthful

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offenders from adult prisons, the reenactment of Pennsylvania's

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death penalty law to meet United States Supreme Court

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objections, the Amber Alert System to enlist the public's help

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in locating abducted children and, most recently, the creation

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of the Missing Endangered Person Advisory Law to aid in the

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location of missing Alzheimer's sufferers and other vulnerable

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citizens; and

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WHEREAS, Senator O'Pake strongly believed in the importance

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of encouraging Pennsylvanians to actively engage with their

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government and practice good citizenship in the historic

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tradition of neighbor helping neighbor and authored the law that

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created PennSERVE, a permanent office of citizen service in

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State government; and

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WHEREAS, The recipient of awards and commendations too

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numerous to mention, Senator O'Pake recently was re-elected by

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his colleagues to the leadership position of Senate Democratic

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Whip, always using the positions of leadership and influence he

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had attained for the benefit of the people of this Commonwealth

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and especially for the residents of Berks County who had

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entrusted him with an overwhelming and unprecedented vote of

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confidence spanning five decades; and

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WHEREAS, Senator O'Pake, just prior to his untimely passing,

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humbly accepted one last award on November 5, 2010, that,

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perhaps, meant more to him than any other - the prestigious

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Shield of Loyola award from his alma mater, St. Joseph's

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University, which recognized Senator O'Pake's lifetime of

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service to others; and

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WHEREAS, Senator O'Pake accepted the award with this

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challenging query: "I hope tonight and tomorrow when we all look

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back, we can answer this question in the affirmative: 'Has my

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life made a difference for good in the lives of others?'";

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therefore be it

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RESOLVED, That the Senate memorialize and pay tribute to an

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exemplary Pennsylvania public servant, and answer the question

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with a resounding "Yes," our departed colleague and good friend,

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the Honorable Michael A. O'Pake indeed made a difference for

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good in the lives of all Pennsylvanians and will be sorely

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missed; and be it further

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RESOLVED, That the Senate express its profound sorrow over

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the passing of Senator Michael A. O'Pake and extend its

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heartfelt condolences to his family, staff, constituents and

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many friends.

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